


The Thrill of the Hunt

by stranger12



Category: Ready or Not (2019), The Babysitter (2017)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-27
Updated: 2020-07-27
Packaged: 2021-03-06 06:00:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 954
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25558486
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stranger12/pseuds/stranger12
Summary: Grace can’t help but be amused by her new in-laws
Comments: 14
Kudos: 139





	The Thrill of the Hunt

Daniel looked at Grace, beautiful, innocent and sweet Grace, as she looked around the game room. He took another swig of his drink and looked away, repeating in his head how much he hoped she would get any other card other than Hide and Seek. What were the odds, anyway? Except, he thought bitterly, he didn’t imagine Mr. Le Bail liked to play fair.

The family sat, Grace right in front of Tony, who solemnly told her of the family history, and how their ancestor met Mr. Le Bail and made a pact with him; that no one ever said out loud that their great grandfather had made an actual deal with the devil that they continued to uphold to this day was ridiculous and hilarious to him – but then he looked at his new sister-in-law again and he couldn’t quite continue to feel the humor of the situation anymore.

“Mr. Le Bail” - Grace stated quietly, turning the box in her hands.

The card compartment opened and she promptly took it out. A wide smile spread across her lips, and Daniel held his breath, much like his his father, brother and (gleeful) aunt.

“Well?” - aunt Helene barked - “What does it say?”

Grace turned the card for all the read.

“What the-” - Fitch mumbled, frowning, like everyone else.

‘Hello Bee’ - the card said.

“That’s… What does that mean?” - Alex asked hesitantly. Tony shook his head, confused.

“I think this is Mr. Le Bail’s way of being cheeky. He does that” - Grace answered easily, turning the card in her hand, still grinning, now much more devilishly than Daniel had ever seen.

“Don’t speak of Mr. Le Bail like that, girl!” - aunt Helene spat. Grace’s ice blue eyes landed on the older woman, and Daniel could say with certainty that he’d never seen someone dare look at his aunt like that.

“I don’t think he minds it” - she almost chided - “We go way back. Waaaay, way back”

“Wait, what?” - Emilie questioned, motioning at Grace - “What- What- What’s going on?”

“You know what, don’t worry about it” - Grace waved it away, putting the card back in the box - “Now...” - she shook the box, none too gently.

“Careful! Careful with that!” - Tony cried.

“Oh, relax, it’s not that fragile” - the bride said amusedly. The compartment opened again, and without looking at it, Grace showed it to everyone.

‘Where is the innocent one?’

“What the fuck is going on?” - Tony asked, getting agitated, and ignoring his wife’s hand on his arm.

“Cole is having a nice, long drink tonight. Thinks he’s all grown up just ‘cause he’s going to college next year” - Grace answered at the card. She turned it in her hand and Daniel blinked hard when he saw the words disappear and new ones slowly make their way onto it.

‘Shall we play a game?’

“Grace, honey, I- I- Why- Why are you talking about Cole?” - Alex, who had not noticed the changing words on the card, stared wide eyed at his new bride.

“Mr. Le Bail is pretty fond of Cole, thinks he’s a cute kid. Little mouthy, which may be my fault a little bit. Oops” – she shrugged and settled the card in the middle of the table. As one, all the Le Domas members, by blood and marriage, leaned forward and their reactions went from gasps to breaths being held to flinching when it turned white and new words were formed.

‘New game. You seek, they hide’

“What the fuck does THAT mean?!” - Fitch exclaimed.

“I think it means you guys need to go and hide, and then I gotta go find you” – Grace answered with a little smirk that seemed really out of place.

“No! No, this is wrong!” - aunt Helene wailed, looking intently at the card – “Mr. Le Bail! We have done everything right! This is not right! SHE is the one who’s supposed to hide, not US!”

“What do you think I’m gonna do when I find you? Geez” – Grace snorted – “It’s just Hide and Seek, chill out. It’s not like he said I had to hunt you down in this big ol’ mansion, drain your blood and sacrifice you with a ritualistic knife or something”

You could hear a needle drop. Daniel always thought that expression was kind of bullshit, but he suddenly realized it was a fucking understatement, at least at the moment it was. Holy shit.

“Ah, that was a joke?” - Grace rolled her eyes – “I don’t have a ritualistic knife on me”

“On you?” - Fitch emphasized.

“Who doesn’t own a ritualistic knife? I’m not a savage”

“Wh- People don’t just OWN ritualistic knives! What the fuck!” - Emilie exploded.

“You guys have one” – Grace pointed out, and something cold ran up Daniel’s spine.

“We- I- Excuse me?” - Tony finally managed to blurt out.

“You guys made a pact with the devil, of course you have a knife to use on your little rituals” – the bride replied easily, making a sarcastic motion with her fingers.

“Grace, honey, I- Wha-what are you talking about? We don’t- We-” - Alex tried, bless his soul, he tried very hard, but Daniel didn’t blame him for not being able to actually say the words that got stuck in his throat.

“Oh, c’mon, Mr. Le Bail? We need to play a game?” - she motioned over her shoulder – “Elephant shotgun? Come the fuck on. Also” – she made a circle motion – “Just family? A wedding night tradition at midnight? Please don’t insult my intelligence, I know what’s happening. Now” – she gleefully, way too gleefully, slapped her hands together – “How high should I count?”

Daniel was pretty sure they were in for a very, very, very long night in the Le Domas house, as the prey became the hunter.


End file.
